Shadow Learns to Drive! (Sort of)
by ckaira77
Summary: Poor Shadow... He's going to be in games where he has to know how to drive. There's only one problem. He doesn't know how. He asks Sonic, but he doesn't do any better at driving than him! So, he goes to the last person he'd usually ask for help from.
1. Chapter 1

Shadow Gets His Driver's License! XD

Written by: ZairaDrayan/ckaira77!

ZairaDrayan: I found inspiration in this plot when I was listening to an Adventures in Odyssey episode where Connie was teaching Eugene how to drive. I couldn't help but think of Amy teaching Sonic how to drive. However, my brain then took a step ahead. What if it was Zaira teaching Shadow how to drive… How did he learn to drive all of those cool vehicles in Sonic 06? Does he really have a driver's license or does the government let him off the hook? Hm… After this, we'll know, at least!

Sonic was simply hanging out at his house one day when Shadow storms in through the door. Sonic watches as Shadow walks into the middle of the living room and throws a bunch of games on the ground. He hisses at them and begins to stomp on them. Sonic stands up and looks at the games. They were a bunch of future Sonic games that hadn't yet been made (remember that this takes place sometime after Sonic X Race of Doom which was before all of those other games let's assume). The blue hedgehog didn't get what all the fuss was about.

"Uh, Shadow? Why are you crushing a bunch of Sonic games in my living room? Couldn't you have gone to your own house to do that?" asked Sonic.

"You don't understand! The thing is that… I was only brought into the Sonic universe recently and I… don't know how to drive…," Shadow explained.

Sonic looked on the back of the crushed game cases. He saw a few photos of Shadow driving a bunch of different cool vehicles. He nods to himself for a second and turns back to Shadow.

"Well, the answer is simple isn't it? Someone is going to teach you how to drive," Sonic pointed out.

"Like who?" Shadow asked with a shrug.

"Someone who isn't me," Sonic replied.

"Why's that?" asked Shadow.

"Well…," Sonic started. His sentence faded into a flashback.

"Alright Sonic, this is your first time driving. Please, don't kill us," Amy almost begged.

Sonic jumped into the car, started it up, and hit the gas petal. The result… wasn't so great… Sonic's head hurt just thinking about it. He was brought back into reality.

"Let's just say I didn't have a very great experience with driving myself…," Sonic finished. Shadow nodded.

"Ugh! Sonic you said that I would find the sugar in your pantry! Sonic the Hedgehog, I did not find any sugar!" Zaira snapped in the kitchen.

"Are you sure you looked in the freezer?!" asked Sonic.

"The freezer?"

"That's where I keep the sugar!" Sonic replied.

Shadow could imagine Zaira rolling her eyes. He had no idea how she always appeared in the same house he was in… It was almost as if she were stalking him… EVERYBODY LEAVE A COMMENT ON HOW CRAZY I AM! Actually, don't. Please…

"I found it! It was in the box of popsicles that you bought last year… Eek! Was that a dead mouse?! No… That was a potato covered in ranch dressing… Smells horrid!" Zaira exclaimed.

"Get out of my freezer before you die right now!" Sonic commanded.

Shadow heard the door slam shut and Zaira walked into the room holding onto the bag of sugar. Although, the sugar look like it was thrown off a cliff, run over by a bus, used in one of Tails' crazy science experiments, stuffed into a bag that was stuffed into Sonic's freezer, and left to rot over millions of years only to emerge now in Zaira's hand. Shadow felt his stomach begin to rise up and begin to do flips. He had to open a window and breathe in some fresh air.

"Yeah… This is sugar… THE WORST IN THE WORLD I MEAN! I think that something died in it!" Zaira exclaimed.

"Oh yeah… I did happen to get a pet rabbit and I think it died in the-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH! Quit it before I gag! Please! I can't get the sugar I need at the moment! I don't have a job, I don't get enough money, and I'm not paid like all of you Sega characters! You get money for just being in Sonic games! What about me?! Sonic, help me!" Zaira begged.

"Why don't you ask for help from your sister Kaira?" asked Shadow.

"She's also in a financial bind… We're broke, people still don't trust me after everything I did when I wasn't such a good person, they won't pay me anything… I've been stuck! I'll do anything Sonic!" Zaira begged.

"Anything?"

"Anything!"

"Well…, I'll go to the store and buy some stuff for you if you teach Shadow here how to drive. He's become one of those characters that is slowly being written out of the Sonic universe. Sort of like Rouge! You'll have plenty of time!" Sonic chirped.

"You are slowly being removed?! How could Sega do such a thing?!" demanded Zaira almost in horror.

"They told me that I'm getting a comeback sometime. For now, I'm taking some vacation time. Sega is still paying me because people are still buying games with me in them. I'm now loved by many fans. It's a shame that Sega didn't let you join the Sonic cast… Especially after we recommended you…," Shadow answered.

"No sweat… I'm good… They just didn't like me… I'm a Drayan with green wings, green eyes, and a personality that makes everything difficult! I'm too hard to get along with! They said that my personality copies Blaze too much and they also said that they can't give Shadow a girlfriend!" she cried.

"What?" asked Shadow.

"Nothing! I didn't say anything!" she shouted.

… (I am crazy…)

"Right… Anyway, I do need some pointers on how to drive," Shadow stated shoving what she said a second ago out of his mind.

"I will teach you. Have you taken the driver's test before?" asked Zaira.

"Once…"

"I'm not going to ask about it because you didn't get the license then… So, Sonic, can I use your car?" asked Zaira.

"Uh… I guess… Don't do anything to it…," Sonic told her slowly.

"Alright! However, today, I just want you to go through this driver's manual Shadow. Don't ask why I have this with me at the moment… Just go through it tonight. Memorize it! It'll help you out on the written portion of the driver's test.

"Um…"

"Also, we'll be meeting back here tomorrow for the first lesson at two in the afternoon! Don't worry, I know you're open because I checked your calendar. See you tomorrow! Sonic, I recommend that you take that freezer and shoot it into space where nobody can get it! Clean that out today, or DIE TOMORROW!" Zaira yelled running out the door.

"Now I see why she didn't make the Sonic cast… She's a cross of Blaze and Amy…," Sonic commented.

"She made all the plans without my permission… I'm the student! I should have the ability to talk to my own teacher on when we should have class! At least, I should!" Shadow retorted.

"Oh well! She checked the schedule! You should be fine! Just be sure to read that driver's manual she gave you! When Amy gave me mine, I sure didn't!" Sonic chirped.

Shadow walked out the door. It was going to be quite the month…

Lesson 1: The **VERY** beginning

Shadow ran over to her house. He banged on the door and she opened it. Shadow pointed to the clock in her living room. It read 2:15. Zaira sighed.

"At least, you're on time. Let's see how much you remember from the driver's manual I gave you. After you get into your car, what is the first thing you do before driving?" she asked.

"Fasten your seatbelt," Shadow replied simply. A preschooler knew that much.

"Yep. True or false: Leaving your car keys in an unattended car is against the law."

"Completely true…," Shadow said starting to get bored.

Zaira threw the book behind her. He memorized it front to back. "Alright, we can start with the driving lessons, I guess."

The two of them went around back and Shadow saw that Zaira had built a giant track in the backyard. Kaira was driving around a remote control car on the track. She looked over and drove it off. "Driving lessons?" She then sighed and picked up her car and turned it off. She left the yard.

Zaira and Shadow climbed into the car (that was conveniently placed there for them…)and fastened their seatbelts and Shadow over for her first instructions. Zaira got out the key and held it up. Shadow stared blankly at her.

"I suppose it's best to start at the beginning! This is a key. Say it."

Shadow continued to stare. "Say it?"

"Yep. Say it."

Shadow groaned and rolled his eyes. "Zaira, I don't think that it's really nessesary to start at the **very** beginning!"

Zaira glared at him and then started acting like a know-it-all. "Look, I'm the instructor, you're the student. I make the rules! NOW SAY IT! What is this?"

Shadow paused. Half out of surprise and half out of terror. "Um… A key."

"Right. The goes into this slot here called the ignition! Say it!" Zaira commanded. She wasn't going to hear any objections…

"Ignition…"

"To start the car, we always turned the key **away** from us. Which direction do we turn the key?" asked Zaira.

"Away from us…"

"Very good, Shadow! Let's move on to something more difficult!" Zaira chirped. Shadow groaned again.

"REALLY?! I'm just dying to learn about rear-view mirrors!" Shadow yelled.

"Okay, calm down. I'm sorry. I'm going to show you how to actually start-up and drive the car," Zaira explained. Shadow sighed with relief. "This knob sticking up out of the floor. Do you know what that is?"

"That's the gear shift."

"Correct. Now, there are different positions the knob can be in. The position that it is in now is called neutral. When the gear shift is in neutral, you can start the car! Okay, go ahead," Zaira coaxed.

"Now?" asked Shadow suddenly nervous.

"Yes!"

Shadow put the key into the ignition and turned the key away from him. The engine started! Zaira nodded in approval.

"Very good! Now, see those petals on the floor? The one on the right is the gas petal. You step on it to make the car go. The one in the middle is the brake. That one will make the car stop. However, the one on the left is the one we're worried about right now. It's called the clutch. Basically, you step on it and put the gear shift into the number one position," Zaira explained.

Shadow stepped down on the gas pedal and put the gear shift into the number one position. He was surprised that it was so easy. "Huh. Well, that was eas- AHH!"

The car jerked forward and then lurches back and dies instantly. Shadow was leaning on the steering wheel causing the horn to go all nutty and Zaira was stuck on the dashboard. She pulled herself out of that predicament and dusted herself off. Shadow got off of the horn.

"What happened?!" demanded Shadow.

"You let the pedal up…," Zaira stated.

"Weren't you supposed to?" asked Shadow.

"No! You're supposed to hold it down!" Zaira yelled getting frustrated again.

"You didn't tell me to keep the pedal down!"

"Well, now you know. Do it again."

Shadow sighs and starts up the car again. He puts the gear shift back into the neutral position. He steps down onto the clutch and puts the gear shift into the number one position. This time, he holds down the clutch. "There. I did it."

"Okay. Now, ease down on the gas pedal. While you are doing that, ease up on the clutch. Got it?" asked Zaira.

"I think so."

"But slowly or else the car will-! AHH!" Zaira cried.

Shadow did the process too quickly and the car lurched forward and fell backward again. Shadow yelled in surprise and found himself on the steering wheel again while Zaira was stuck in the dashboard again. The horn rang all throughout the clearing.

".lurch forward and die again…"

Shadow sat up again. "Don't think that was my intention… I think I have it now however…," Shadow said breathing heavily. Who knew driving would involve so much lurching?!

Zaira got herself out of the dashboard and opened the side door. She hopped out of the door and closed it. Shadow rolled down the window. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to get a neck brace… This is going to be a long afternoon… You practice on your own for a little while. Okay?" asked Zaira wearily.

Shadow nods to her and rolls up the window. It really was going to be a long

day…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"I think you've got starting and stopping down pretty good!" Zaira praised after she came back. She had gotten herself the neck brace and was back with Shadow who was finally driving. She figured that it was time for a new lesson Something a lot harder.

Lesson # 2: Parallel Parking

"So, what's up next?" asked Shadow.

"Well, one thing you'll need to know during the driver's test is how to parallel park. Know what that is?" asked Zaira.

"Parking next to the curb between two cars," Shadow replied.

"Right. You see, I set up two garbage cans over there to represent the two parked cars. Go ahead and put the car in gear," Zaira explained pointing back at the gear shift.

Shadow grabbed onto it and moved it to the gear he wanted. The car made a grinding noise. Shadow brought it back. "What did I do?!"

"You didn't step on the clutch! After I gave you a full lesson, you forget!" Zaira snapped.

"Oh."

Shadow stepped down on the clutch and made sure to hold it down. He then put the car in gear and it didn't make the grinding noise. Shadow looked back to Zaira.

"Alright, the first thing you want to do is drive past the space-"

"Why?" asked Shadow.

"That's the way you parallel park! You back in!" Zaira told him.

Shadow still looked a little confused. "Why can't you just pull forward into the space?"

"It's because you can't make it that way!" Zaira retorts.

Shadow huffed. "I do believe I can! Watch this!"

Shadow stepped down on the gas pedal and began to pull forward. It never occurred to him that there wouldn't be enough space to pull forward into the space…

"Wait! Stop it! You're cutting it too close! You gonna-"

 _Thump! Crash!_

".hit the garbage can…," Zaira finished giving him an annoyed look.

Shadow was embarrassed by his mistake. He almost couldn't believe he just did that. "Oops…"

Zaira sighed. "It's all right… Just pull forward and get us out of here!"

"Okay."

"Cut your wheels to the left."

"Left?"

"Right."

"RIGHT?!"

"No left!" Zaira yelled.

 _Thump! Crash!_

Shadow groaned and rolled his eyes. Zaira was banging her head against the passenger door. "Way to go Shadow!" she yelled sarcastically.

"You said right!" Shadow yelled.

"I didn't mean "right" right! I meant right correct!" Zaira yelled.

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN IF YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN?!" demanded Shadow.

"I know what I mean! Listen, just pull forward! Okay?!" Zaira yelled.

Shadow sighed. "Forward. Okay."

 _Crash!_ _Pop! Hisssssssss…_

"Um… What was that?" asked Shadow. He already knew what it was because the car was sinking in the back.

"I think we have a flat…"

"How did we get a flat?"

"I… Loaded the garbage cans with glass bottles…"

There was a long silence between them. Finally, Zaira tried to brighten up. "Well, look on the bright side! It's time for your next lesson!"

"What's that?"

"Changing a flat tire!"

Zaira and Shadow went through the rest of the lessons to prepare for the driver's test. Once Zaira was sure he was ready, she sent him off with a wave. Sonic got the pleasure of watching her pace in his living room. Back and forth… Back and forth… Back and forth…

"Sonic, what time is it?" asked Zaira.

"Five minutes after the last time you asked me… Are you sure you're fine?" asked Sonic.

Zaira stopped. "I'm great!"

Sonic shook his head at her. "Well, I'll tell you this. You look more nervous than Shadow did before he left!"

"I do? I guess I am a little nervous… If he doesn't pass, it'll be all my fault…," Zaira explained.

"Nonsense! I think you did a great job of teaching him! You were much better than Amy when she taught me! Just be a little patient and stop pacing!" Sonic told her.

Zaira stopped and sat on his recliner. She looked over at his clock. Sonic rolled his eyes.

Shadow walked into the room with an expression that was unreadable. Zaira and Sonic jumped to their feet at the same time. "How'd it go?!" they both demanded.

"Um… I passed the written test…," Shadow started.

"Well, that's good," Sonic said with a nod.

"What about the road test?!" Zaira demanded.

Shadow looked at the ground and didn't reply. Sonic and Zaira looked at each other and back at Shadow. They knew what the results were.

"Shadow, I'm so sorry!" Zaira whimpered.

"I failed it again! I failed the driver's test!" Shadow yelled. He threw Sonic 06 on the ground and began to crush the game that was going to be made.

"Shadow! Stop it! What happened?!" asked Sonic stopping him from crushing the game. He was getting the tiny pieces of plastic stuck in his carpet. Shadow took a deep breath.

"You won't believe me…," Shadow starts.

"Try us."

"Okay, well…, I choked," Shadow explained.

"Went blank?" asked Sonic.

"NO! I mean I actually choked! The minute the instructor got into the car, I felt my throat constrict! Things only got worse from there!" Shadow pointed out.

"What happened after that?" asked Sonic.

"He asked me to show him the proper hand signals. Well…"

"You knew those backwards!" Zaira said.

"Yep. That's exactly how I did them! With the wrong hand! I signalled for a right turn and nearly slapped him!" Shadow exclaimed.

Sonic looked worried for a second. "You didn't actually slap him, did you?!"

"No… I barely missed him… Then there was parallel parking!" Shadow continued.

"I'm not sure if I want to know…," Zaira sighed.

"You don't… I tore the trim off of the instructor's door…," Shadow explained.

"You did not!" Zaira exclaimed.

Shadow was rubbing his temples. He still hadn't gotten to the worst part! "That was absolutely nothing compared to the hill test…"

"Hill test?" asked Sonic.

"Yeah… I was supposed to stop and start on a hill… I got half-way up and stopped, but when I tried to start the car again, it stalled! The car rolled down the hill and ended up in Tails' petunia garden!" Shadow yelled in frustration. Sonic's mind was reeling.

"You rolled into Tails' petunia garden?!" he demanded.

"Yeah… Although, Tails was still in it at the time…," Shadow explained sheepishly.

Both Zaira and Sonic gasped. Sonic was the first to speak. "You didn't hurt Tails did you?! If you hurt my best friend, you've got another thing coming!"

Shadow backed away from Sonic. "He's fine… He just had to make a remarkable jump into the side of a tree… He only got some minor cuts and bruises, but the garden was a goner…"

"Did it really go that badly?" asked Zaira.

"Let me put it this way… The instructor drove back AND RESIGNED!" Shadow shouted exasperatedly.

"That's pretty bad…," Sonic said slowly.

"What am I supposed to do?! How can I-"

 _Ring! Ring! Ring!_

Shadow picked up his phone. Sonic and Zaira couldn't hear what the guy on the other end was saying. Shadow's face went pale and he didn't say anything. The voice continued to ramble on. It finally stopped and Shadow nodded and said, "Okay…" He hung up. Zaira and Sonic looked at each other for a second.

"What did he say?" asked Zaira.

"Filming for those games start tomorrow…," Shadow replied slowly.


End file.
